Early County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 77.9 | 10,563 people · 34th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Early County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.9 — 107th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Georgia, it ranks 34th of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Early County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 89.6
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 79.5
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 92
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Housing Cost Burden 63.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 69
Economic Vitality 38.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 94

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Early County
Early County, GA 77.9 Serious —
Miller County, GA 73.4 Serious -4.5
Calhoun County, GA 71.9 Serious -6.1
Clay County, GA 69.7 Serious -8.3
Baker County, GA 69.3 Serious -8.7
Seminole County, GA 67.1 Serious -10.8
Houston County, AL 65.3 Serious -12.7
Henry County, AL 57.9 Elevated -20.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Early County
Bradford County, FL 78.0 Serious +0.0
Burke County, GA 78.0 Serious +0.1
Hardeman County, TN 77.8 Serious -0.1
Avoyelles Parish, LA 77.8 Serious -0.1
Sequatchie County, TN 78.0 Serious +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Early County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Early County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Early County residents at no cost.

Atlanta Legal Aid Society 404-524-5811
Georgia Legal Services Program 1-888-257-4567
Georgia Legal Aid
State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Self-Help Resources

Georgia Legal Aid — Housing Self-help guides for Georgia foreclosure process, rights, and defenses
DCA Georgia HAF Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Early County, Georgia?

    Early County has a County Distress Index score of 77.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 107th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Early County?

    The primary driver of distress in Early County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Early County compare to neighboring counties?

    Early County (77.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Miller County, GA (73.4); Calhoun County, GA (71.9); Clay County, GA (69.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Serious zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Early County's score of 77.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Early County's CDI score?

    Early County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Early County?

    Early County, Georgia has a population of approximately 10,563 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.